This invention relates to an optical device for reading and reproducing a colored image such as a color copier and more particularly to a new color image reproduction device which does not require image reading elements such as CCD image sensors and with which a colored image can be read and reproduced by a single scan.
With a prior art device for reading and reproducing a colored image described, for example, in Japanese Patent Publication Tokkai No. 55-162174, a colored original document is sequentially exposed to red (R), green (G) and blue (B) beams of light with different spectroscopic radiation characteristics and reflected beams from the colored original are taken in by a CCD image sensor with the help of mirror and lenses. They are then sequentially taken out in synchronism with the timing of emission of the aforementioned red, green and blue beams so as to provide individual image data for these colors, and color data for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyanic (C) and black (Bk) are generated therefrom through a color conversion process on these image data. A color image can be obtained from such color data by transferring yellow, magenta, cyanic and black inks, for example, by a thermal transfer recording method.
A color image reproduction device of the type described above cannot escape from being complex, large and costly because it must include separate light sources for emitting red, green and blue beams of light, a device for controlling the timing of light emission, CCD image sensors, a device for controlling the timing for taking out electrostatic charges, a device for processing color conversion, a thermal transfer and recording device and yellow, magenta, cyanic and black ink ribbons.